Web-feeding device



Nov. 12', 1946. c. E. WYRICK WEB-FEEDING DEVICE Original Filed April 27,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 InvmToR (DH 00' C WYP/CA/ Nov. 12, 1946. c, w cKWEB-FEEDING DEVICE Original Filed April 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE.4-

Patented Nov. 12, 1946 OFFICE WEB-FEEDING DEVICE Clayton E. Wyrick,Miami, Fla., asslgnor to The- Egry Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Original application April 27, 1939, Serial No.

270,396. Divided and this application July 20, 11142, Serial No. 451,646

1 Claim. 1

. My invention relates to a machine for aligning and folding continuouswebs of material into a fan-folded pack.

'The invention is particularly adapted for preparing the zigzag foldedpack of sheets provided for use in autographic registers, such asillustrated in my copending application Serial No.

142,661, filed May 14, 1931, and similar devices. My invention, however,is not limited to this particular use as it is obvious the invention isadapted for fan-folding packs of superimposed continuous sheets or websof material which are to be used in printing machines and other similarrecording apparatus. These packs comprise multiple superimposedcontinuous sheets of paper having spaced printing forms thereon.

Hinge sections are provided between each form for permitting the readydetachment of the individual forms from each other in use.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a machine whichwill accurately align and fold a plurality of superimposed sheets ofprinted forms at their hinge joints, regardless of the slight variationsin the distance between the hinges. It will be appreciated the hinge portion between the spaced forms may comprise perforations, slits,indentations, or otherwise weakened web portions whereby the individualmachine wherein a paper web hinge and aligning blade and webclampingroller means operate in a definite predetermined timedrelationship so that after the web to be folded is started through themachine the complementary web hinge aligning members cannot be moved outof alignment relative to each other.

Another object is to provide a machine for aligning perforated sectionsof multiple superimposed continuous webs and folding said superimposedsheets together in a fan-folded pack.

Another object is to provide in a hinged web aligning and foldingmachine of this nature, means for producing a loop or slack in thecontinuous web being drawn through the machine, adjacent the entrance tothe hinge aligning mech-- anism at a predetermined time. This permitsrelative shifting of the individual webs over each other so that thehinged or otherwise weakened sections of the different webs of paperwill move into alignment with each other.

Another object is to provide in a folding ma chine of this character agripper roll which is forms may be detached as by tearing off from theremainder of the continuous sheet of forms. Another object is to providea slack producing mechanism so asto permit shifting of the individualsuperimposed webs of paper being folded so that the corresponding hingeportions in the different webs of paper are brought into alignment eventhough they do not happen to register exactly with one another.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character described,comprising engaging roller means between which the paper web is drawnhaving alternate roller web clamping and hinge aligning blade meansadapted to cooperate with opposed clamping and hinge aligning blademembers for alternately aligning and creasing the superimposed webs ofpaper, first-in one direction, then in the opposite, the produce afan-like folded strip. l

Another object is to provide a machine for folding continuous webshaving spaced printed forms thereon wherein a variable speed member isarranged between the prime mover and the moving parts of the machine sothat the speed at which the web may be moved through the machine may bevaried.

Another object is to provide a paper folding held in place by gravity sothat it is free to swing away from the web of paper to make possible theloading of the machine.

Another object is to provide clutch means for producing a gradual speedacceleration of the aligning and folding machine during the startingperiod so as not to put undue stress on the webs or machine parts.

Another object is to provid a paper web hinge aligning and foldingmachine comprising means for moving superimposed webs of papertherethrough, aligning the webs at their spaced hinge sections andfolding of said webs, which mechanisms are driven by a power traincomprising 8.

Another object is to provide in a machine of the character described,mechanism for auto- -matically disconnecting the electrical circuit tothe auxiliary variable speed feeding web gripper rolls'in response todeclutching of the prime mover.

Another object is to provide in a paper web handling. machine of thetype aforementioned, means for disconnecting the driving means from thweb feeding mechanism so as to permit manual operation of said webfeeding mechanism.

Another object is to provide a web feeding roll mechanism comprising afriction disc member which is yieldably pressed against a driven wheelmember and wherein means is provided for moving said web feeding rollout of engageplete machine illustrating the principal features of themechanism for passing multiple superimposed sheets of paper through themachine and the arrangement of the web hinge aligning and foldingmechanism;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the driving mechanism ofthe machine;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the friction disc driven knurled web gripperrolls and guide roll mean for feeding the webs through the machine, withassociated parts being broken away'to show the construction moreclearly;

Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the web gripper roll friction discdriving means and variable speed mechanism therefor;

Figure 5 is an elevation view, partly in section, with certain partsbroken away, showing the gripper and web guiding rolls and lateralaligning feed roller mechanism illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail view of the fastening means for latching thegripper rolls out of contact with the friction driving disc preparatoryto manual operation of the rolls for threading the paper webs into themachine;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 3, showing thegripper roll mechanism in position for hand operation.

General construction Referring to Figure 1, .the essential parts of themachine are diagrammatically illustrated, in which the paper web supplyrolls are generally designated B; web guide rolls C; gripper or web feedrolls D; free paper web loop E; lateral web aligning and guide roll F;web separator rolls G; slack-producing roller mechanism H; web hingealigning and creasing mechanism I, and fanfolding web-stacking means J.

The web supply rolls B, as shown in Figure l, are mounted one above theother and are attached to their respective axle shafts 2. Paper webs 6are drawn off from the supply rolls B and over the individual guiderolls la, thence insuperimposed engagement through the knurled gripperor feed rolls 8 and 9. From the gripper rolls the webs pass downwardaround the counterbalanced web loop forming roller l0.

After the superimposed webs 6 pass around the free loop they areconducted over the guide roll l5 which laterally aligns the superimposedwebs so that the edges of the different sheets coincide with eachother.' Thereafter the multiple sheets are separated from each other bypassing the webs of the individual rollers I6. This permits a layer ofair to be introduced between the webs so that they can more readily moveor shift relative to each other during the web hinge aligning operationwhich follows.

The superimposed webs are drawn through an intermittent slack-producingmeans I! which operates in synchronism with the web hinge aligning andcreasing mechanism l8. Thereafter the hinge aligned and creased webs areguided downward and fan folded upon the counterbalanced platform ortable member l9.

Power train The driving motor 25 for operating the machine is providedwith a driving cone pulley 26 having a belt 21 which engages a, conepulley member 28. Driving belt 28 running over the pulley 23 operates asimilar pulley member 30, which in turn is provided with a drive pulley3i. Drive pulley 3| rotates the shaft 32 by means of the driving belt 33and pulley wheel 34. Attached to the shaft 32 is a gear 35 which mesheswith gear 36 keyed to the shaft 31. The gears 35 and 36 are adapted todrive the web aligning mechanism of this machine. This hinge aligningmechanism comprises opposed endless chain members carrying hingealigning blades and clamping roller means which are generally designated36 and 39 in Figure 2.

Secured to the shaft of one of the sprocket driven hinge aligning unitsis an auxiliary sprocket 40 and chain 4| for driving the sprocket 42 andattached slack-producing roller means 43 and 43a. Sprocket wheel 44,which is driven through the power shaft 32, rotates the sprocket wheels45 and 46 by means of the endless chain 41. Rotation of the shaft 48 bymeans of the sprocket wheel 45 operates the web guide rolls 49 and 50.Through the train of gears 5|, 52, 53, 54, 55 and 56 the fan-folding andstacking means 51 and 58 are actuated, as illustrated in Figure 2.Provision for counting the revolutions may be made through an auxiliaryattachment geared to the stacking means 58, asillustrated at 58a.

The knurled gripper web feeding rolls 8 and 9 are driven through avariable speed friction disc means 59 by power supplied by the shafts 60and GI which are rotated by the sprocket wheel 46 through the reductiongear box 62, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 2. The speed atwhich the gripper rolls 8 and 9 are run is regulated by the distance thefriction drive wheel 63 is maintained from the axle shaft 64 whichrotates the attached friction disc wheel 59. Normally the gripper webfeeding rolls 8 and 9 are driven at a speed which draws paper from thesupply rolls at a slightly lower rate than that required so that thepaper web loop E formed between the rolls l0 and I5 gradually shortens.

A conventional type tiltable mercury switch 63 may be mounted on apivoted plate 66 and utilized to connect the solenoid 69 with a sourceof electric current to increase the rotational speed of the paper webfeeding roll 8 by moving the armature l0 and attached member I8.

The friction drive wheel 63, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, is connectedso as to rotate with .the shaft 6| and is also adapted to movelongitudinally along. the drive shaft 6|. Spring means H urges the wheel63 toward the outer periphery of the disc 59. The drive'wheel 63 isProvided with a circular portion 12 of smaller diameter than the opposedrollers I3 are adapted to fit. The stub roller shafts 14 are secured tothe end of the swingable members 15 which are disposed at opposite sidesof the drive shaft 6|. Arranged around the shaft 6| below the drivewheel 63 is a fixed collar 16 which is fastened to the pair of framemembers 11. Roller support members 14 are pivoted to the collar 16 as'at16a so that the rollers 13 maybe swung in and out of engagement with thelower portion of the drive wheel 63.

The solenoid 69 is attached to the SUPDOrt 'll opposite the rollers '13and the outer end of the solenoid armature I0 is connected by means ofthe links 18 to the ends of the members 14 supporting the rollers 13.When the solenoid is energized the rollers 13 are swung in under the ofthe drive wheel 63 increases the speed of rotating the disc 59 andlikewise the attached gripper rolls 8 and 9 so that the webs are fedfaster into the machine,

Upon speeding up the feeding rolls 8 and 9 more paper will be drawn intothe machine so as to lengthen the paper web supply loop E (Figure l)which is maintained taut by the roll I0. After the paper loop E has beenlengthened to the desired amount, lowering of the roll I9 and supportmembers II brings about tilting of the mercury switch 68 which breaksthe electrical circuit to the solenoid permitting the spring II to forceout the rollers I3, These rollers normally tend to swing out frombeneath the wheel 63 so that no sticking of the mechanism can takeplace. On returning the friction drive wheel 63 to its normal drivingposition the web feed rolls are driven at a slower speed until the webloop E has shortened sufficiently to tilt the mercury switch in theopposite direction when the aforementioned cycle of operation isrepeated. This continues during the operation of the machine.

The web hinge aligning mechanism as illustrated in Figure 1 comprisesopposed frame units 8| and 82- which are pivoted together at one endpermitting the units to be sprung apart at the opposite end forthreading the paper web into the hinge aligning means preparatory tostarting the machine. Keyed to the shafts 32 and 31 are the gears 35 and36 which are in mesh. Gear 35 is driven by the pulley wheel 34, as shownin Figure Mechanism for threading web into the feeding rolls Referringto Figures and 5, the knurled paper web feed rolls 8 and 9 and webaligning roll I 5 are yieldably forced toward the friction drive disc 59by the coil springs I46 which are disposed at opposite ends of theroller shafts, Adjustment of the tension in the springs pressing theroll 8 toward the friction disc is provided by the screws I41 and locknut members Mia, The feed roll 9 is mounted on the auxiliary cross barmembers I48 which are attached to the tie bar I49. By grasping the barI49 it will be observed that the feed roll 9 and associated members I48can be pivoted about the shaft I50 of the guide r011 I5, as shown inFigure 3. In this way the web feed roll 9 is free to swing away fromcontact with roll 8 so as to make it easy to load the machine.

Lateral alignment of the superimposed webs as they pass over the roll I5is effected by the beveled side portions I5I which are adapted to engagethe opposite edges of the webs causing them to shift over each otheruntil the superimposed 'webs coincide exactly with each other.

In order to permit of manual rotation of the knurled web feed rolls 8and 9 a hub portion I52 is formed on the extended shaft I53 adjacent theframe support member I54. The hub portion I52 is provided on the innerside with a beveled or inward sloping portion I52a. The outer end of theroll shaft I53 is provided with a pin I55 which is adapted to interlockwith a removable hand crank I55 inserted over the end of the shaft I53for manually rotating the feed rolls 8 and 9, as shown in Figure 7.

A latch means I51 is disposed over the lock nuts I4Ia and comprises acut-away portion I58 and I59 which is adapted to fit over the beveledsurface I52a of the hub I52 and the lower spring adjusting member I51,respectively. The latch may be pivoted about the upper adjusting s ringscrew member I41 and when the lever I5! is clamped in position, asillustrated in Figure '7,

the shaft I53 and feed roll 8 are moved against the springs I46,disengaging the friction disc 59 r from its drive wheel 63. This permitsmanual rotation of the feed rolls 8 and 9 so that the threading of thepaper webs intothe machine may be accomplished without difficulty. Afterthe machine is loaded the latch member I51 is swung out of engagementwith the beveled hub surface I52a and the springs I46 then shift thefeed roll friction disc means 59: into engagement with the frictiondrive wheel 63 for normal operation of the machine.

For operating the machine after the ,webs to be aligned are threadedinto the machine, the motor 25 is first started and then the drive belt21 tightened by lowering the motor away from the fixed drive pulley 28by operating the lever I63. In order to effect disconnection of theauxiliary electric circuit to the solenoid 69 by the tilting mercuryswitch 68 when the operation of the machine is stopped, an additionaltilting mercury switch I65 is placed in series with the switch 68 so asto open the electric circuit to the solenoid when the motor isdeclutched.

This is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 270,396,filed April. 27, 1939.

It will be understood that the above described structure is merelyillustrative of the manner of practicing my invention and that I desireto comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within thescope of the claim and the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

A web feed roll mechanism including in combination; a feed roll havingshaft means for supporting the same, a web aligning roll laterallyspaced from said feed roll and having shaft means for supporting thesame, a pressure roll having a supporting arm adjacent each end thereof,said arms being pivotally connected to said aligning roll shaft means,said pressure roll when in operative position cooperating with said feedroll to exert pressure upon the web and capable of being pivoted toinoperative position away from said feed roll to facilitate threading ofthe web be" tween said feed roll and said pressure roll and over saidaligning roll.

CLAYTON E. WYRICK.

